The Transfer Tavern

What does the future hold for Eddie Nketiah at Arsenal?

Arsenal will be desperate to move back into the top four as they currently find themselves in fifth position, behind Chelsea on goal difference.

The Gunners have been completely redefined under the guidance of Unai Emery in the current campaign, with a Champions League spot still being the main aim at this moment in time.

Emery spent a large amount of money to bring in the likes of Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Matteo Guendouzi. But, top-four rivals Chelsea may have already saved the club millions, as the Blues released Eddie Nketiah at Under-14 level, which allowed Arsenal to pick him up on a free transfer.

Indeed, the Gunners will delighted that the Blues made a mistake by releasing the youngster at such a young age, as this provided them with the opportunity to secure one of the most exciting attackers in English football.

Importantly, the 19-year-old has been on absolute fire over the past couple of seasons in the Arsenal youth ranks, including the current campaign, as he has scored 45 goals in 67 appearances. He has featured in 12 first-team games throughout his time at the club, mainly under Arsene Wenger during his reign.

Reiss Nelson has been making all the headlines out on loan at German side Hoffenheim this season, but even he may struggle to keep up with Nketiah if he continues on his current path. He has all the ingredients to become a future star of the game, with his pace, finishing ability and trickery making him almost impossible for the opposition to tackle.

Emery can fill Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with regret by transforming Nketiah into a cult hero at the Emirates, as the Blues have already lost a number of youth players that have gone on to establish themselves as special talents, including Declan Rice and Rhian Brewster, so this would add to the Russian billionaire’s woes.

And, having witnessed Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne’s rise to stardom since leaving Stamford Bridge, the last thing Abramovich would want is to be held accountable for another mistake.